Meh!..Forget silver, copper is what you want, just one penny will set you up for life. (as long as it's 1943 and not fake!lol)
1943 Copper Penny
Value (US$): $200,000+
Updated as of 10/2010:
1943 plain - $35,000 to $137,000 depending on condition
1943 S - $125,000 to $275,000
1943 D - up to $1.75 million at auction
About 40 1943 copper cents are known to remain in existence. The easiest way to determine if your 1943 cent is copper (and valuable) is to test it with a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is a steel penny, and not valuable. If it does not stick, then you might have hit the jackpot... have a expert authenticate your coin.
1 -- The coin will not stick to a magnet.
2 -- The weight of the coin is 48 grains or 3.11 grams.
3 -- The "3" in 1943 has the same long tail as the "steelies."
4 -- The quality of the strike is exceptionally sharp especially around the rim because the bronze coin was struck with the same higher pressure as the steel pennies.
5 -- Have the coin authenticated by and independent grading service.
A 1943 Lincoln cent - zinc-coated steel - is worth in G4 (good condition): 10 cents; if its mint state is MS60, the value rises to: $5. == Copper == If you can find a copper 1943, they have sold between $40,000 and $80,000, but I think the lowest grade that has been auctioned was a Very Fine, so if it is only in Good condition, it might go a bit lower. But it's been a couple of years since the last sale, so it could bring more. It's one of those things that you can't really predict the value some buyer might place on it until it has been sold. === Counterfeits === There are bazillions of fake copper 1943 cents. If the coin sticks to a magnet, it's a 1943 steel cent that's been plated. If the tail of the "3" in the date is rounded in almost a half-circle rather than nearly straight, it's a 1948 cent that's been altered. Either way they're damaged coins. If neither of these conditions holds, it's still likely to be a fake made either by casting or electronic "sputtering".
If it's real it should weigh 3.11 gm and have a clear "ding" when (gently) dropped on a hard table. If so, it should be checked by a certified expert in rare coins.
